Disappointing experience with "Feedback about this page"

Earlier today while printing out some lesson materials, I ran into a problem with the right rail nav links on a conference talk page. I submitted feedback along with the URL, describing it as best I could. After awhile, I received a response from "LDS.org Volunteer kt" asking for more information, since he or she could see no problem with the page using Safari 7.

I replied and tried again to explain, and said I was seeing the problem in Safari 7, Firefox 29 and Chrome 35, and I have screen shots of all three; where could I send them? (The feedback form doesn't offer the option to include attachments.)

I just received a response from Volunteer kt:

"Eric, thank you for getting back with me. LDS.org was designed with Firefox as the standard. I don't use Chrome, but I do use Safari 7 and Firefox 29 with no issues. I would think you are looking at Listen, Download, etc. Just went back to the page again using both browsers and I can't duplicate your issue. LDS.org Volunteer kt"

So does the church assume just because a volunteer can't reproduce the problem (which he or she couldn't know, since he or she still hasn't seen the problem I'm referring to), there is no problem? This seems disturbingly counterproductive, especially since I'm still seeing the issue in all three browsers on three different computers, as well as in IE 9 in Windows 7. I'm attaching a screen shot to this post. I'm definitely not inclined to use the feedback link again in the future, if whatever I report is going to be summarily dismissed without review.

I assume you are talking about the following URL...
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2011/04/lds-women-are-incredible?lang=eng

Unfortunately, I can't reproduce what you're seeing either. Maybe others can?

[Edit] I can see it now by using the following modified URL...
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2011/04/lds-women-are-incredible

Providing the exact URL you are using, might help them better reproduce what you are seeing.

Yes, that's the page. Thanks for looking!

Do you still have the problem if you reload the page? I cannot duplicate it either using Firefox 29.0.1. It appears that the page did not load properly for you.

Microwaved found it. If you load the page without the "?lang=eng" tag, you get the error.

I would send that information back to your Feedback contact. You have found a valid error that the volunteer did not see.

It is frustrating when support activities cannot duplicate a problem. I am not sure how they can really help if they cannot see what you are seeing. Thanks for following through and bringing the issue here.

Ah, that explains it. The hyperlink to that article from the lesson in come, follow me does not include the language tag, so that why it failed. Also why it failed as I copied/pasted the link to multiple browsers.

Is there a channel to let the management over these volunteers know that a change in practice might be in order? I still can't believe I was told there was no problem, and I wonder how many more times this has happened to people who weren't aware of this forum as a fallback plan.

The volunteer now assumes that because the problem has been identified, it is also resolved:

"Eric, I am glad you were able to solve your issue. God Bless!
LDS.org Volunteer kt"

Seriously... time to set the bar a little higher here.

emckirdy wrote:"Eric, I am glad you were able to solve your issue. God Bless!
LDS.org Volunteer kt"

I would politely email back and inform the volunteer that the problem has not been solved. You have merely assisted the volunteer in seeing the problem.

Then ask him to forward it to whomever needs to have the information to fix the problem.

Seriously... time to set the bar a little higher here.

It is with great restraint that I do not comment further about help desks. I often wonder how much of my old stuff at other discussion groups is still available via Google.

I did exactly that, but have no expectations that it will happen.

I join you in your restraint, although I also feel some validation here as I'm the head of a global help desk operation for a top 20 US internet site, and I require much higher quality customer experience in the interactions my team has with users. Being in the customer shoes, I appreciate it more than ever!

Thanks again to all who helped troubleshoot here tonight. This is how it should be.

I'm glad you realize the people responding to feedback are volunteers. They are trying. I don't know what kind of training, if any, they receive.

I have sometimes clarified matters with the person responding to my feedback until he or she understood the problem. Another strategy I use sometimes is to discuss the problem here on the forums and send the feedback volunteers the actual URL of my conversation here, validation that other people have reproduced it, etc.

The category choices on feedback incorrect and can route your message to someone who is very unprepared to help. I've previously provided feedback about the feedback web page category selections, but it still remains unchanged.

For example, they still have a "Local Unit Websites" category. LUWS was retired and they haven't replaced it on the menu with all the selections available to you on the new site. If you choose "Local Unit Websites" your message goes somewhere where they can't help. That's just one example of how feedback hasn't kept up with the lds.org changes. The people there are nice and are trying to help, but the system is working against them.

And just like that, it looks like someone behind the scenes has fixed the malfunctioning webpage.